The coarse
material may be removed and that which is more tender may be broken up
by pressing the fruit through a sieve or a strainer of some kind. The
cooking of fruits is another means of making the cellulose in them more
easily digested, for it softens, or disintegrates, the various particles
of the indigestible material. When fruit is taken for its laxative
effect and the irritation of the cellulose needs no consideration, the
skins of the fruits may be eaten instead of being rejected. However, to
avoid any trouble, they should be well chewed.
16. Minerals in Fruit.--All fruits contain a certain percentage of
mineral salts. The quantity varies in the different kinds of fruits, but
it averages about 1 per cent. These salts have the opposite effect on
the blood from those found in meats and cereals, but they act in much
the same way as the minerals of vegetables. In other words, they have a
tendency to render the blood more alkaline and less acid. They are
therefore one of the food constituents that help to make fruit valuable
in the diet and should be retained as far as possible in its
preparation.
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